


The End of the King's Rangers

by turduckenail



Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: Future Fic, Gen, Rebellion, This happens several generations after the events of the Ranger's Apprentice books, just so you're aware, so all the non-oc characters are dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-08 20:03:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13465560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turduckenail/pseuds/turduckenail
Summary: Several generations after the death of King Duncan, his descendant Duncan IV has taken the throne. Since then, he has made life a living nightmare for his subjects, and most people are quietly hoping for a revolution. When it comes, nobody expects the King's Rangers themselves to be leading it.





	The End of the King's Rangers

**Author's Note:**

> Do I already have another unfinished fic that I haven't updated in ages? Yes. Am I going to post this thing I found in my old writing folder anyway even though it will probably turn into a pretty long multi-chap fic itself? Also yes. Am I going to actually finish this one? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ Who Knows.
> 
> In all honesty though, if y'all like this one and want to see a continuation, I am more than happy to write more. Just drop a comment or leave a kudos letting me know you want more and I'll see what I can whip up. ;)
> 
> Also I didn't really proofread this one so if it has acres of typos and bad grammar in it, my bad. Enjoy, my dudes!
> 
> Find me on tumblr @turduckenail

 

“Did we have to meet tonight?” Jack’s eyes darted around the room, like something was going to jump out of the shadows. “There’re soldiers everywhere.”

“That’s why we’re meeting in this old shack. No one will see us this far from town.” Ellen said as she poured him a cup of tea. “And we have to make sure we finish planning this before the guards decide to take an interest in us.”

“What about those Rangers been hanging around?” said Geoff. “I’ve seen three of them this week alone. Used to be you’d be lucky - or very unlucky - to see one once a month.”

Ellen nearly dropped the kettle. “Three of them!?”

Geoff nodded gravely. “Aye. And those are just the ones I could see. Who knows how many of them are lurking around?”

“About five.”

Everyone in the room spun to face the newcomer. Well, newcomers. Each one of them wore a deep cowl that hid their face in shadow. The colours of the fabric seemed to bleed and shimmer in the air, making it hard to pick out a solid outline. All of them had a quiver slung over their shoulder. Three of them had longbows nearly as long as Ellen was tall. The other two had bows with a strange S shaped curve at either end.

One of them - supposedly the leader - pulled something silver from under the cowl. It was an oak leaf pendant. The others did likewise, supplying two more silver and two bronze.

“King’s Rangers.” said the leader.

This time Ellen really did drop the kettle.

Jack and Geoff scrabbled for something to use as a weapon.

The ranger held up his hand in a gesture of peace. “There’s no need for that. We come in peace.”

Everyone obediently straightened, though Jack tried to sneakily place himself between the rangers and Ellen.

Geoff was the first to speak. “What do you want?” Good old Geoff.

The ranger didn’t seem offended, though it was hard to tell. “We know what you’re up to -”

Everyone stiffened.

“- and we want in.”

There was silence for a good thirty seconds, then Jack broke the silence with an incredulous “what?”

“Well, actually, it’s more like we see what you’re doing, we like it, but we see that you don’t have the resources or the manpower to pull it off on your own. Which is where we would like to come in and offer you an alliance.”

Jack, Geoff and Ellen knew they looked absolutely dumbfounded, but they felt rather justified in it. “Please,” Ellen cleared her throat to try and steady her voice. “Please explain?”

Another ranger, the tallest of the group, stepped up to offer his two cents. “Well, my comrade phrased that as if we would be the ones to join your cause. What we’re actually asking is for you to join our cause.”

The lead ranger gestured to the ranger to his left – a slight figure displaying a bronze oak leaf around their neck. They were the smallest of the group, which was saying a lot, but they held themselves with the same confidence as the rest of them. “Marin, if you’d be so kind?”

Marin reached into their – her? – cloak and produced an unassuming bundle of paper, folded into thirds. She cleared her throat, then began to read in a clear, lilting voice.

_“The undersigned do hereby declare His Royal Highness King Duncan the Fourth to be unfit to rule the Kingdom of Araluen, for reasons as listed below.”_

Here she paused and glanced at the second page of the document. Then the third. She looked up to address her audience. “I’ll paraphrase.

“Basically we’re concerned with how militant his rule is; the incredible rate taxes have been increasing despite the average quality of life declining; then there’s the rapidly deteriorating relations with other countries we’re concerned could lead to conflict or war; his lack of legitimate heirs; the amount of resources he removes from the baronies without compensation; not properly looking into internal affairs that could lead to, well,” She gestured at the people gathered in the room, “this.

“Not to mention his unwillingness to provide educations for his subjects, despite laws placed down by several of his predecessors; his steadily declining health and mental condition, etcetera, etcetera…” She flicked to the fourth page. “… etcetera. Anyway,

_“We demand that HRH King Duncan abdicate his throne and a competent regent be set in place until such a time as a more suitably modern government can be implemented.”_

She tucked it back into some unseen pocket behind her cloak. “It’s a rough draft, and it shows. None of us are exactly trained as scribes. However,” she pulled out another bundle of paper, this one rolled into a cylinder and tied with a piece of string, since it was too thick to fold. It landed on the table with a percussive thump. “These are the signatures of people who have already signed. It includes the names of over half of the barons, their Craftmasters, several guilds, and a third of Duncan’s high ranking military officers.”

Jack, Geoff and Ellen eyed the considerable stack of papers. Looked at each other, looked back at the papers.

Jack looked at the rangers. “Have you, ah… got a pencil?”


End file.
